Communication networks consist of various types of networks including at least Wide Area Networks (WANs) and Local Area Networks (LANs). A WAN is a network that covers a broad geographic area and which may link other networks, such as LANs. The WAN may include one or more “public networks”. A public network may be a network that is operated by a service provider that provides subscribed services for devices. The public network may further include systems, servers and devices operated by the service provider that performs specific function and features when providing such services. The LAN may be referred to as a “private network”, and may be a personal network of an end-user, an enterprise network, etc. The LAN similarly includes systems, servers and devices that may perform different functions and features.
Devices within different networks (such as, a WAN and LAN) may communicate with one another. More specifically, devices located within a LAN may connect to a gateway device that provides the interface to establish communication between devices across the WAN and LAN. The gateway device is a component that provides network switching and translation, modem connectivity and routing functionalities in order to connect across different networks. For example, as the devices within a LAN are allocated private internet protocol (IP) addresses, the gateway device provides network address translation (NAT) services in order that devices within the LAN may communicate with the devices within the WAN (which are allocated public internet protocol (IP) addresses).
In at least some examples, one or more devices within a LAN may be serviced by the service provider. That is, a user may be subscribed to the service provider so that the devices within the user's LAN may receive subscribed services. In such cases, the devices may be referred to as “customer-premises equipment” (CPE) devices. CPE devices may be managed by servers on the service provider's WAN network. For example, an Auto-Configuration Server (ACS) may provide configuration and control capabilities of these CPE devices. In order for the ACS to remotely manage these CPE devices, CPE WAN management protocol was established which defines an application layer protocol used for communication between these devices across the Internet.
However, under the current CPE WAN management protocol, the ACS cannot directly initiate communication with a CPE device (as the CPE device is allocated a private IP address). Instead, Session Traversal Utilities for NAT (STUN) servers are implemented within the service provider's network which provide NAT services for the CPE devices and allow for the ACS to initiate the communication via the STUN server. In such cases, the STUN server opens a port on the gateway device whose connection is kept open by the CPE device in order to monitor for an initiation of a communication from the ACS.
Unfortunately the use of STUN servers have a number of drawbacks including increase in costs, congestion within networks, and the potential of security risks to the networks.
Similar reference numerals are used in different figures to denote similar components.